Pace Partners are arguably the most popular feature Zwift has rolled out in the past two years. With multiple paces to choose from, their pace groups have turned into “always on” group rides where you’ll see the same folks showing up at the same time to warm up, cool down, or put in some miles while chatting with others.
On Tuesday, Shuji announced in Zwift’s forum that Pace Partner “dynamic pace” testing will begin next week. This is exciting news, as it heralds the next step in Pace Partner evolution. Here’s the full text of Shuji’s post:
Hi Pace Partner fans –
We’re testing a new feature for Pace Partners starting next week called Dynamic Pace, and ask for your feedback on this thread.
With Dynamic Pace, rather than holding a constant pace as elevation changes, the Pace Partner will adjust its effort to maintain a smoother ride with the goal of keeping the group together. On constantly rolling, mildly hilly terrain, this more closely resembles how many cyclists ride in real life.
- Currently, C. Cadence rides at 2.5 Watts / kg no matter the terrain.
- We’re going to increase the pace slightly on uphill grades to about 2.7 W/kg.
- C Cadence will let the group know to increase the pace on climbs.
- On downhills, the 2.5 W/kg pace will resume.
- This test will begin Monday, March 28 @ 05:00 UTC. Convert to your local time zone here
- The test is only for C. Cadence on the three Watopia routes she uses: Tempus Fugit, Tick Tock, Sand and Sequoias.
- Depending on your feedback, we may make further adjustments to her pace.
Future implementations of Dynamic Pace may be different depending on the route being used, and the Pace Partner leading the ride. We’re looking forward to your feedback on this test!
What About Downhills?
Some Pace Partner lovers will immediately question why Zwift is only increasing the power on the climbs, and not decreasing the power on the descents. If you’ve ridden much with a Pace Partner on hilly terrain, you’ve probably noticed that the group tends to surge ahead of the bot on the uphills, then the bot surges to the front on the downhills. This is because riders naturally up their power on climbs and decrease power on descents due to the resistance fluctuations on their smart trainer.
Here’s what Shuji had to say about this question:
Since several of you have already asked: we have done some internal testing with easing the pace on the downhill. The net effect of dipping below 2.5 W/kg on descents can vary depending on the section of the road you’re on. A subtle pace reduction that feels just right on short rolling hills is probably too slow on a lengthier downhill where gravity gives you free speed with no pedaling effort.
In this phase of testing, we’re focusing on the climbing pace. Adjusting pace for the descent is already being planned, don’t worry!
More to Come
In chatting with members of Zwift’s game development team, it’s clear they have plenty of great ideas for Pace Partners. This “dynamic pacing” is just the start of making Pace Partners more useful and smart, and the possibilities are virtually endless. Pace Partners could announce short sections of higher effort, greet new Zwifters who have joined the pack for the first time, respond to gradient changes in various ways, and much more.
But we have to begin somewhere. And that happens Monday!
Got Feedback?
After you’ve tried C. Cadence’s dynamic pacing, chime in with your thoughts on the forum thread so Zwift hears your feedback. You may also be prompted for feedback within the game itself at the end of your C. Cadence ride.
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
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